Campus concealed gun bill wins Senate OK

Published 5:30 am, Monday, May 9, 2011

AUSTIN — A bill that would allow concealed handgun license holders to carry their weapons onto university campuses passed the Texas Senate on Tuesday after its author, Sen. Jeff Wentworth, attached it as an amendment to legislation related to a measure dealing with higher education funding. The vote was 19-12.

Monday, in fact, turned out to be gun day in the Senate, or in the words of state Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, as he watched Wentworth try and try again, "Groundhog (With a Gun) Day." Earlier in the day, Patrick won approval for his own gun bill, one that would allow lawmakers to carry concealed handguns almost anywhere, even in places where most concealed handgun carriers cannot.

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Patrick's bill, which passed with no debate, would allow legislators, statewide elected officials, some former legislators and some state employees to carry their concealed weapons into churches, hospitals, bars, sporting events - even if a sign is posted saying weapons are prohibited.

The Houston senator said a few weeks ago that his bill was an effort to make it easier for lawmakers to protect themselves when they are attending various public functions and at times have to leave their guns in their cars.

Wentworth filed his campus-carry bill, Senate Bill 354, in the opening days of the session, but could not secure enough votes to bring the legislation up for debate on the Senate floor. For the past couple of weeks, he repeatedly tried to attach a similar amendment onto a bill by Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, to eliminate some college reporting requirements and reduce administrative costs. Opposed to Wentworth's measure, Zaffirini last week killed her own bill after Wentworth succeeded in attaching his campus carry legislation to it.

On Monday, Wentworth, R-San Antonio, attached his legislation this time to a higher-ed amendment sponsored by Zaffirini. She had offered an amendment to an education-related fiscal measure intended to generate revenue and savings to help fund the state budget for the next two years. The bill was sponsored by state Sen. Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, who accepted Wentworth's amendment.

Zaffirini said she and Wentworth checked with the Senate parliamentarian about whether his amendment was germane to her bill. The parliamentarian ultimately ruled that Zaffirini's amendment made it germane.

"I think it's very sad that Sen. Wentworth believes he knows better than the governing boards of our colleges and universities, particularly since he was turned down for a job on one," he said. "Given the overwhelming opposition to these bills, it seems that revenge and ideological agenda have triumphed over student safety."

Wentworth's bill now goes to the House, where a companion bill sponsored by state Rep. Joe Driver, R-Garland, has 87 co-sponsors.

In other legislative business Monday:

The Senate approved compromise legislation that would require voters to show a driver's license, a concealed handgun license or other photo identification, instead of a voter registration card. The Senate passed the bill by Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay, in late January; the House passed its version nearly two months later.

The legislation approved Monday included changes that would allow citizens to vote with a free Department of Public Safety-issued photo election ID. The election certification will expire like a driver's license, except for people ages 70 or older.

A "loser pays" bill to limit civil lawsuits won final House approval, allowing it to move to the Senate for consideration.